Reliable Remodeler Blog » HVAC

Does your home meet miminum energy codes?

woodrow — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:24:55 +0000

Does your new or remodeled home meet the minimum energy codes for construction and design? If you’re like most consumers, Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) believes that you have no idea. Last fall, the nonprofit agency reported that energy bills in an average new home that doesn’t meet the minimums are consistently higher. In fact, they’re [...]

Does your home meet miminum energy codes? is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

How secure is your home?

woodrow — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:15:01 +0000

It’s my nature to surf the world of online home improvement blogs. There’s great information out there, including home improvement ideas if you’re rebuilding or going green. But I’ve yet to see a blog give any bandwidth to a discussion about home safety and security. Are we just numb to the same old ideas of [...]

How secure is your home? is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Try green insulation for health and energy efficiency

woodrow — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:29:28 +0000

If you’re committed to going green, you’ll be curious about the new generation of efficient, low-impact insulation products on the market. Traditional insulation products can off-gas (at worst) or give off odors in your home. You can swap them out for low or non-VOC emitting insulation products and, at the same time, fill your home [...]

Try green insulation for health and energy efficiency is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Federal tax credits for New Year improvements

woodrow — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:34:33 +0000

Now that 2011 has passed, many of the Federal tax credits offered by the government for new windows, insulation, doors, and other products for home energy efficiency remodeling have also drawn to an end. Even with these incentives gone, you should still consider evaluating energy efficient materials before making a purchase, or choose other green [...]

Federal tax credits for New Year improvements is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Record utility costs may drive us to energy efficiecy

woodrow — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:22:53 +0000

A new study shows that the price of electricity provided to American homeowners has skyrocketed over the last five years. Energy price research conducted by the USA TODAY shows that we’ve endured the longest consistent stretch of utility bill increases since the 1970s. Today’s average bills represent a $300 annual increase in electric bills over [...]

Record utility costs may drive us to energy efficiecy is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Smart green building devices that promote energy efficiency

woodrow — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:26:14 +0000

Have you heard about smart meters? A smart meter connects homes with the electric grid. It’s a two-way communicator that helps homeowners truly examine their energy use and make decisions about how to operate their appliances, HVAC systems, and lighting. Depending on your utility provider, your smart meter can help you determine the best hours (known [...]

Smart green building devices that promote energy efficiency is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

New windows can curb record-high energy bills

woodrow — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:19:22 +0000

If you’ve been watching your electric bills soar, welcome to the club. A new report from USA TODAY finds that we’ve endured five straight years of increases, making it the largest leap since the energy woes of the 1970s. Even if your earnings have stagnated, the cost to consumers for electricity has kept on rising. We [...]

New windows can curb record-high energy bills is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

HVAC home improvements: There’s an app for that

woodrow — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:36:36 +0000

If you’re reading this, you already have a remote means of controlling your HVAC at home as well as monitoring your security. Using a smartphone or computer with web access, today’s homeowner can log into a secure website to check if their doors are locked or to turn on their heat [...]

HVAC home improvements: There’s an app for that is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Last chance for tax rebates on energy efficient home improvements

woodrow — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:11:06 +0000

Homeowners have until December 31 to buy materials and install energy efficient home improvements under the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. Provisions of the bill, an extension of previous tax credits, mandate that you buy only ENERGY STAR-compliant biomass stoves, heat and air conditioning units, insulation, roofing, water heaters, [...]

Last chance for tax rebates on energy efficient home improvements is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Got cold? Energy efficiency and refridgerators

woodrow — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 02:34:39 +0000

Your refrigerator is toast. The compressor is on its last legs and would cost more to repair or replace than you want to spend. It’s been a long time since you felt any resistance from the door seal when popping it open. There’s a drip or, worse, a pool of water collecting. The unit runs [...]

Got cold? Energy efficiency and refridgerators is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Winterizing for everyone: Insulation tips

woodrow — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:10:22 +0000

Come winter, consumers and homeowners have questions about the kind of insulation that works best in their homes. Of course, the answer varies based on your location, existing insulation, how much space you have to insulate and whether the area to insulate is accessible (for hand installation) or inaccessible (requiring spray-on products). Before you even begin, [...]

Winterizing for everyone: Insulation tips is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Building trends 2012-2015: expect smaller, greener homes

woodrow — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:59:31 +0000

The American trend toward buying smaller homes – currently driven by the economy – will likely extend out to the near future. A builders’ survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), found that new homes will average 2,152 square feet in size by 2015, some 10 percent smaller than single-family homes built [...]

Building trends 2012-2015: expect smaller, greener homes is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Fall is time to practice fire safety

woodrow — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:34:17 +0000

This week The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released their annual plea for homeowners to inspect their residences for fire risks, make necessary safety improvements and prepare a family escape plan in the event of a fire. If you think this is a Pollyanna warning, you’re not [...]

Fall is time to practice fire safety is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Chemical sensitivity and home safety

woodrow — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:13:02 +0000

Slowly, it seems, homeowners and contractors are paying closer attention to the side effects of chemicals and building materials. The main culprits being addressed today are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that “off-gas” into the living area of homes. As more builders create air-tight, energy efficient homes, the effect of VOCs is compounded in that they [...]

Chemical sensitivity and home safety is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

The Thermal Envelope and energy efficiency

woodrow — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 22:20:11 +0000

No matter where you live, one of the best ways to improve energy efficiency in your home is to secure or re-enforce your Thermal Envelope. The Thermal Envelope is the combined effect of your existing windows and doors, wall and roof assembly, weather-stripping, insulation and air retarders. In short, every component of your home interior and [...]

The Thermal Envelope and energy efficiency is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.